Hiking the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail, Yellowstone, WY

Let’s face it, there’s no way to visit Yellowstone and say you’ve seen it all. There’s way too much to see and most people will never see all there is in their lifetime. So, one must pick and choose from the many sights, sounds, animals, landscapes, and hikes. One of the absolute best is the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Hopefully, the below photo shows you why. This hike leads you to the brink of the lower falls. You’ll be able to feel the massive Yellowstone River underneath your feet if you stand still – it’s a lot of power!

Quick Beta

• Mileage: 0.75
• Elevation gain: 300 ft.
• Highest Point: 7776 ft.
• Best time to visit: Late May through mid-October
• Total hiking time: 30 minutes.
• Kid-friendly: Yes.
• Dog-friendly: No.
• Gear I brought: Camera, good hiking boots

The Walk

This walk/hike is 0.75 miles long and reaches just about 300 feet in elevation gain (rather, descent). You’ll start out in a large parking lot and make your way to the trail. Follow a seemingly never-ending series of switchbacks until you make it to the bottom! Generally, going down is the easy part, until you remember you have to go back up! Once you reach the bottom, you’ll be met with sweeping views of the beautiful canyon. A small platform allows you to peer over the edge of the rushing waterfall and into the painted canyon walls!

Need to Know

This hike is easy and on a well-maintained trail. All ages can do it, generally regardless of physical fitness.

Bathrooms are located at the top of the trailhead.

There are many rest stops along the way. For some people, especially people who aren’t used to the altitude, 7000+ feet is pretty tiring! You may want to consider carrying a water bottle if you usually don’t on shorter trails.

Justin’s Suggestion

If you’re going to be passing through the Canyons area of Yellowstone, you should make the stop. Of all the hikes and walks to do in the area, you’ll feel like you made the best choice if you could only make it to one.

Take A Hike!

Tack this one onto your Yellowstone trip and see the beautiful Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone! It’s a great stop along the way and the first stop of a scenic drive along part of the canyon. Make sure you complete the drive and stop to take all the photos!

If you haven’t already, make sure to visit Lehardys Rapids and the Brink of Upper Falls trails! Also, keep an eye out for future postcards. I have a lot of fun picking out my favorite photos for those! I might add in a little blurb on there, as I would for a real postcard! I’ve seen this idea on a few blogs, and really enjoyed Rebecca Goes Rendezvouz postcards – she’s totally awesome!

Parting shot:

Next blog: I got some awesome photos of wildlife. Mercedes and I also toured around a lake. We also explored many thermal areas. Waterfalls are coming soon. I’m just getting started here!